CHAPTER 13
Hutch's next stop was the escort agency. Accompanied by four uniformed officers and with a search warrant in hand, Hutch entered the office with a determined stride. The receptionist stood up with a gasp and stammered, "May I help you?"
Ignoring her, Hutch brushed past her and opened the door to Shelia's private office. The woman looked up with a start, as did the young woman sitting in the chair facing the desk.
"What is meaning of this?" Shelia demanded sharply, her eyes narrowing suspiciously when she saw the uniformed officers.
"I'm Detective Hutchinson," Hutch told her as he dropped the search warrant on her desk. "And that is a search warrant that allows us to go through your files and personal records. We'll also need a copy of your client list."
"I don't understand," Shelia said defensively "This is a legitimate business. There's nothing illegal going on here."
"That remains to be seen," Hutch said with a thin smile. "We have reports that some of your employees have their own little side businesses going that aren't entirely on the up and up."
"That had nothing do with me. I assure you that I didn't know anything about that or they would be out of a job."
"I also want anything information you have on the client that David Michaels was scheduled to see last night." Hutch said gruffly.
"Why? Is David in some kind of trouble?" Shelia asked in a concerned voice.
"His real name is David Starsky and he's my partner," Hutch told her "He was working undercover trying to find the man who's been murdering escorts in the last few weeks. And now he's missing."
"Missing? I don't understand…"
"He hasn't been seen or heard from since he left to meet with his 'date' last night," Hutch explained. "If you had nothing to do with his disappearance then you have nothing to worry about."
"Miss Crane here has nothing to do with any of this," Shelia said indicating the young woman sitting in the chair in front of her desk. "Is it all right if she leaves?"
"Go ahead," Hutch told the young woman courteously "Just make sure and leave your name and contact information with one of the uniformed officers in case we need to get in touch with you at a later date."
The young woman nodded and bounced to her feet anxious to take her leave. Hutch turned his attention back to Shelia. "Now, what can you tell me about the woman my partner was supposed to meet last night?"
"Not that much, I'm afraid," Shelia told him "She was a new client. David was her first engagement. All I can tell you is that her name is Angela Raven and she an adult movie star. She was looking for an escort to the premire of her new movie and a cast party afterwards. She scheduled four hours and she paid in cash. She picked David's picture out of our client book."
"Where did he meet her at?"
"At her penthouse. She lives at the Tower Arms on West Manchester."
"Thank you. These officers will be staying here to go through your files and records. They will also be talking to each of your employees to gather more information." Having gained the information he had come for, Hutch turned to the other officers and said, "You guys finish up here and then report back to Captain Dobey. I'm going to question Miss Raven." He turned and strode out of the room without looking back.
Twenty minutes later he was entering the lobby of the Tower Arms. A distinguished looking man in his late forties with salt and pepper hair and piercing blue eyes stepped forward as soon as Hutch entered the building. He was dressed in a black suit and tie and carried himself with an aloof manner.
"May I help you, sir?" He said snidely "This is a private building. Unless you have been put on an approved list by one of our residents then I must ask you to leave at once."
Hutch pulled out his badge and showed it to the man who examined it carefully. He appeared unimpressed. Looking back at Hutch, he said coolly, "What is your business here?"
"I need to speak to the resident of your penthouse suite." Hutch told him
"I'm sorry but that tenant is in Europe and isn't expected back until next month."
"There must be some mistake," Hutch said "Doesn't a young lady named Angela Raven live in that apartment?"
"I'm sorry, officer, but you must be the one who has made a mistake. We have no tenant here by that name."
Hutch scowled darkly. "I need to see the inside of that apartment." He demanded
"I'm afraid that isn't possible without a search warrant."
"Look," Hutch said, his patience wearing dangerously thin. "I can waste my time going back to headquarters to get a warrant, or we can come to a compromise and you can let me in that apartment for ten minutes. I am looking for a missing police officer who was last reported to have been at this address."
The apartment manager appeared to be considering his options. Finally he gave a curt nod and said, "I'll give you your ten minutes but I will accompany you to make sure that nothing is disturbed or damaged."
"Fair enough," Hutch agreed "By the way, who is the tenant in the penthouse?"
"I'm sorry but that information is confidential without the direct permission of the tenant or a warrant."
Hutch grunted at that answer but didn't reply. The two men walked across the lobby to the elevator and stepped inside. The manager pushed the button for the penthouse and the men stood in silence as the elevator made it's way to the top floor of the building.
The doors slid open on a large entry way with the floor covered by a thick plush brown carpet. The manager pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket and inserted on in the lock opening the door to the penthouse. He stepped aside and allowed Hutch to enter first.
A heavy silence filled the air inside the penthouse. The distinctive silence of an empty apartment. As he looked around the room, Hutch asked "How long has your tenant been in Europe?"
"For the past three weeks. A housekeeper comes in once a day and maintains the apartment."
"Has she been in here today?"
"No, she doesn't come in until this afternoon."
"Good. Because when I finish here I'm going to call headquarters and have a lab tech come out to run the place for fingerprints,"
"I really must object," the manager exclaimed "I can not allow that intrusion into my tenant's privacy."
"You don't have a choice because I'll make sure that the tech brings a warrant with him." Hutch told him gruffly. "If you refuse to comply than I will arrest you for interfering in an official investigation."
The manager's mouth set into a hard, thin line but he kept silent. He stayed near the front door as Hutch began to look around the apartment. There was no immediate indication that anyone had been in the apartment in the tenant's absence and there was no sign that Starsky had been there recently. Still, Hutch's gut told him that something was off. He just had to find out what it was and hope that it led him to his missing partner.